This document provides comprehensive java software development processes tailored for open source projects. It covers processes, conventions, and recommended tools. The guide aims to help developers quickly get up to speed with best practices. You are not expected to read this guide cover-to-cover. You probably should be familiar with the contents and reference the appropriate section when you need it. Documentation aims to be concise with references elsewhere on the web for details like installation instructions.

This guide is written in a modular fashion so that different projects can easily add, delete, or modify sections. It is hoped that this guide will become the de-facto standard software developers guide for java-based open source projects. For this guide to be useful it needs to be continually added to and improved as tools are developed, processes improved and projects grow.

Please consider improving or adding a section if you feel it is required. Only free, cross-platform tools are recommended here. Where applicable, widely-accepted conventions and open standards are used. It has been satisfying to discover the breadth of quality free and open source tools which support software development. It is hoped that this document will highlight areas where tools can be improved or developed and encourage developers to focus on these areas. This guide has been used as the basis for Generguide - A Generic Software Developer's Guide.